What started out innocently as a joyful mockery of my 7-year old daughter’s guitar skills turned into a daily ordeal of writing, performing, and uploading on the internet of almost 100 musical pieces.

Completed in 21 days, the subject matters initially ranged from my preoccupations at the time (i.e. subjects outside the confines of my previous musical projects) and whatever piqued my interest at the moment. The exercise would later have me digging into personal psychological, philosophical and political realms.

While some pieces are inside jokes, others were inspired or lifted directly from online inter-action with friends on online social networks, and thus give an indirect personal account of what I believe is one of the newest and most important philosophical question of our time–that is our online identity. Some pieces are utter nonsense and some are meaningful real-life vignettes.

The ease with which the words and melodies came to me is in reverse proportion to the daunting feeling of writing this page such that i had to retreat to the beach four days prior to my flight for a series of overseas concert engagements (Eraserheads North American Tour 2012). The subject matter of this book is entirely unrelated to the tour, however they may seem to be in some pieces.

Marcus Adoro La Union, 7th of October 2012

II. “Perpetually Driven To Create”

by Popoy Diokno 10 March 2012

MARCUS CORPUZ ADORO: “Perpetually Driven to Create”

I met Marcus around 2004, ambling casually towards my window, during a bright, rather pleasant mid-afternoon, with a cup of coffee in his hand, smiling from ear to ear. I noticed my neighbor, Dempster Samarista not far behind him, likewise cheerfully holding on to a cup of coffee.

I was in the middle of my usual daily ritual of playing my amplified guitar, totally ripping it, ending my day. I was preparing for the night, looking forward to the joy of night bringing calm dark, so the music I would play brought out varying moods. I waved them in, opened the front door and took them into my room.

Marcus straight away introduced himself to me as we shook hands while Dempster asked me if I knew who Marcus was. I said, “I’m really sorry I had no idea who he was.” Eventually I learned that Marcus played lead guitar for the Eraserheads. My being a closet guitarist at the time, totally self-centered on playing my music only for myself, music I would hear in my head, who in my spare time mostly listened to Miles Davis, Steely Dan, Paco de Lucia, classical music, and others, I had no idea who the E-heads were!

Quickly after, Marcus asked me if I could teach him to play guitar. I chuckled and said, “You’re lead guitar for the E-heads, obviously really good, it’s you who has to teach me to play!” We all burst into laughter and continued having a really great time, till they left. We agreed to jam together, so a deal was set.

Marcus totally Impressed me. He was sharp, quick witted, with a satirically honed, absolutely humorous, knife-edged understanding of life in general. That was how I first met Marcus and to this day, eight years later, we continue to jam regularly!

Not long after his first visit, he came back with a desktop computer, 2 guitars and a bunch of electronic gear, totally foreign to me. We began working and eventually recorded, in three weeks, an EP entitled “Belma En Luis”. That lead to Marcus forming SURFERNANDO–composed of Marcos Adoro on guitars, Dempster Samarista on guitars and bass, Orville Ortego on drums and me, likewise on guitars.

Finally, the closet guitarist was out of the closet!

Recently, a few weeks before December of last year, Marcus asked me if I could work on a project with him and without any hesitation I quickly agreed. Soon after, Marcus dove into the project, totally obsessive.

I spent many late nights listening to his new creations. Amazed, thoroughly convinced and proudly delighted to be working with a great friend, a true genius!1 During those many late nights working with Marcus, watching him work, mentally putting together objects, ideas, melodies, images, as if he was a magician instantaneously pulling rabbits out of a top hat2, I said to myself, “Here I am, extremely fortunate to be around, watching a genius at work, perpetually driven to create!”